Boro have had no serious bids for any of their players, confirmed Tony Mowbray today.

He admits, however, that clubs have checked on the availability of several of the Boro’s assets.

“Like most years we’ve had one or two enquiries but I wouldn’t call them bids,” Mowbray told the Gazette.

Jason Steele, Rhys Williams and Marvin Emnes have all been linked with rival clubs over the past year and it’s likely, with the new season looming on the horizon, firm bids will be tabled over the coming days and weeks.

Mowbray insists that he’ll have the final say on whether a player can be sold.

Last August, Boro accepted a bid from Aston Villa for Joe Bennett, believing the £3m-plus fee was too good to turn down knowing they had George Friend ready to slot in at left-back.

After disappointing campaigns last season, the respective values of Emnes and Williams have fallen, though that could make them a more tempting proposition for a manager searching for new recruits.

But at the moment, Mowbray’s playing it cool when the phone rings.

“People want to know what you’re doing with certain players and there are certain players we are definitely keeping,” he said.

“It’s a cat and mouse game, you don’t commit to anything in May or June.

“It’s a case of waiting to see as managers put their squads together. We won’t be selling anybody we don’t want to sell, the chairman’s made that very clear.

“At the same time if we thought we could sell somebody and utilise the funds that come from that to strengthen the team, football is a business as well and we would only do that if it was right for us but at the moment there are no imminent sales of any of our players.”

Boro hope to announce their first signing of the summer early next week.